A Message from the SPJ Detroit President
Congratulations to EIJ winners; financial assistance exists for journalists
Dear SPJ Detroit members and friends,
Please join me in congratulating the 2020 “Excellence in Journalism” winners and finalists. Our annual competition honors the best journalism spanning all mediums including print, radio, television and digital in Southeastern Michigan, and we hold each of the awardees in the highest esteem.
Normally, friends, peers and the SPJ Detroit membership would be honoring these achievements at our awards banquet, but as you know we had to cancel that event in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We do plan to resume our awards banquet in spring 2021 and will honor our Lifetime Achievement recipients at that time.
All of the award winners — by contest category and medium — are listed on the SPJ Detroit website (spjdetroit.org) and those awards will be distributed to the entry’s affiliated organization/employer or directly from SPJ Detroit.
Financial Assistance – Local
While the annual banquet is usually a time for celebration, this is not the time as our respective media industries are going through perilous times. And local journalism has suffered dramatically with cutbacks, layoffs and furloughs.
SPJ Detroit reminds its members that financial aid grants of $250 to $300 per person are available through the “Show the Love” program, created through a coalition of SPJ Detroit, Detroit NABJ and AAJA Michigan. Any members of these organizations in need of financial assistance should reach out to the group’s president to file an application. SPJ Detroit members can contact me at SPJdetroit.org or by phone at (313) 600-2534.
Financial Assistance with SPJ Dues
SPJ National also is offering dues assistance to members who have been laid off from full-time employment. Application information for the waiver is available at SPJ.org.
The national office also has a “Journalists Emergency Fund” that you may also find beneficial. For more information, go to SPJ.org.
SPJ Detroit will continue to monitor the repercussions this pandemic has caused our members. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any concerns and requests for help.
In the meantime on behalf of the SPJ Detroit board, thank you for your dedication and diligence in delivering essential information and truth to our Detroit and Southeastern Michigan communities. Please stay well and safe.
All my best,
Beth Konrad